| |
—Isaiah—
––––––––
Waking in Holly’s bed the following morning, I found myself offensively alone as a bolt of longing cut through my chest. I groaned and stretched long and hard before rolling from the bed in search of my girl.
I found Holly downstairs in the kitchen, smirking over the rim of her coffee mug. “Big night?”
I dropped a kiss on her smile and gathered her into my arms. “The biggest. I missed you this morning.”
“I’m literally right here.”
“I know, but I kinda like snuggling you when I wake up.” Damn, that was one declaration I never thought I’d say. First craving her, now wanting to m’fuckin’ snuggle...
I snorted and plucked the coffee from her grasp. Ignoring her outrage, I took a couple of hasty sips before offering it back.
She gave me the stink eye. “You know I can make you one so you don’t have to drink mine.”
“I know, but I gotta shoot. See you later?”
“As in tonight, or around?”
Tipping my head to the side, I ran my gaze up and down her body, making my intentions clear. “Tonight, Mama.”
“Be careful,” she teased with a cheeky glint in her eyes. “That’s how habits form.”
“Mm, I could think of worse.” I pressed another kiss to her mouth, then reluctantly let her go. “Laters, Hols.”
“Laters.”
I looked back, which was also new for me because this m’fucker didn’t damn well look back at the girl, and noticed my heart beat a little faster when she smiled. She looked so damn perfect watching me quietly, elbows propped on the counter and coffee nestled between her hands. I paused for a second, caught up in time tripping over itself as I gave her one last smile.
Leaving her house and ensuring it was locked up tight behind me, I breathed a sigh of relief. Not for escaping, but for having the space away from Holly where she couldn’t cloud my thoughts and actions. The self-preservation part of me warned to keep boundaries in place, even if it was simply declining an offered morning coffee, especially after the fact that I’d now stayed at her place two nights in a row.
Maybe I shouldn’t make it a third, but disappointment struck hard at the thought.
Who was I kidding? I’ll be going for the trifecta tonight.
I jumped in my car and pulled away from the curb as the sun began its assent over Portland. The streets at this time of the morning were almost vacant, and I pulled into my driveway before 7 a.m.
As if knowing I’d arrived home, my phone pinged with a message. One I ignored until I’d parked in the garage and clicked the automatic door closed.
The message was from an unknown source... Unusual since I kept this number highly confidential. Initial anger crept in thinking that Holly had betrayed me by publicizing my number, but when I opened the message, an image made my heart lurch, then plummet into my gut.
As grainy as the photo was, I knew without a doubt who it featured and what they were doing.
Me and Holly...
Fucking in the equipment room.
“What the fuck!” I enlarged the photo and zoomed in. “What the actual fuck!”
I flicked away the image to read the text, and the more I read, the hotter my blood boiled.
I know what you did yesterday. You’ve got 24hrs to deposit $1m into the following account before your little video goes viral. No games.
Under the threat was a video link, as well as account details.
“Like fuck I’m falling for that,” I growled, yet clicked on the link nonetheless while striding to my bedroom.
The video stopped me in my tracks halfway through the hallway. It had me balling my free fist in anger and grinding my teeth.
Despite having no sound, the video clip showed everything. From having Holly on the equipment table to pinning her hands above her head and taking her from behind.
“Motherfucker!” I plowed my fist into the drywall, leaving a satisfying yet infuriating hole.
I usually wouldn’t pay any attention to blackmailing attempts, but whoever decided to try to make a quick mil off me currently held the upper hand. A hand I wouldn’t bow to, no matter the threat. I wasn’t no m’fuckin’ get-rich-quick pyramid scheme.
I ranted and cursed. Paced up and down the hallway, trying to think straight. Bobby had to be my first call. Then? I had no idea.
Forcing myself to give Bobby a few more minutes in bed before I called his ass, I showered while rage burned me up inside. By the time I’d dried off and dressed, I was still seething and grinding my teeth.
Flipping off the hole in the drywall as I strode past it, I headed to the kitchen with my phone to my ear.
Bobby answered in a gravelly voice. “I’m up.”
“Same,” I snapped.
“So, to what do I owe the pleasure, Isaiah?” It sounded like he was rolling out of bed.
“I thought you handled it yesterday?”
His tone immediately sobered. “I did. It was sorted.”
“Apparently not.” I forcefully shoved a mug into my coffee machine. “I’ve just received a message demanding one fucking mil or the video of me and Holly will be leaked.”
“Bullshit,” he barked.
“For real. Video link ’n all. And trust me when I say it leaves no confusion over what went down.”
“Are you fucking serious?”
“Do I sound fucking serious?” I snarled.
Hissed curses came through the phone. “Jesus Christ, Isaiah. Come to the clubhouse as soon as you can. Even if it’s a hoax, we need to take it seriously. There could be major fallout, not just for you, but for Holly.”
I added milk to the creamer and impatiently waited for it to whip. “I don’t give a shit about me; I’ll bounce back. It’s her I’m worried about. She’s not used to being exposed like we are.”
My concern for Holly was real. The guilt in my chest was crushing. Coming at me was one thing; tearing Hols down when it wasn’t her fault was another. It made my anger rise all over again.
“Meet me in my office and we’ll go from there. Either way, I’m calling legal. They need to be involved regarding the leak that breaks our NDA. We’ll sue.”
“Damn straight we’ll sue. G’me forty minutes and I’ll be there.”
“Bye.”
The disconnected tone immediately followed Bobby’s curt acknowledgment. He was pissed but managed to temper his fury far better than I could.
Roughly casting my phone aside, I puffed out a hard exhale in an attempt to pull myself together. I muttered and cussed while pouring the creamed milk into my coffee and sipped it while grabbing out a pan.
The scrambled eggs I cooked were bland against the betrayed taint lingering at the back of my mouth.
How fucking dare they? So stupid.
While rinsing off my plate and stacking the dishwasher, I vowed to get retribution, no matter the outcome of this blackmail attempt. This is one war I wasn’t going to let beat me, and heaven forbid anyone get in my way.
~
“Hey.” A poke to my chest snapped me from my tumbling thoughts. Today had fucked me over with a steel pole—mentally, at least.
Holly rose onto an elbow. “You’re distant tonight. Is something wrong?”
I snagged her hand and brought it to my lips. “Just a little preoccupied with work shit,” I mumbled, feathering my lips across her knuckles.
She studied me from above. A cute-as-fuck pucker formed between her brows when I simply stared back.
“Can I help with anything?”
“Nah, babe. It’s nothing I can’t handle.”
Remaining unconvinced, her frown deepened. “You sure?”
“Of course. Besides, you’re doing exactly what I need.”
She resettled in the crook of my arm. “Sex?”
I chuckled. “Yeah, Mama. Sex.”
Truth was, I was still pissed about the blackmail threat. Bobby had paced his office after watching enough of the video to conclude that it was indeed legit footage, then got onto legal once he’d calmed his shit a little.
Legal was still “working on it” when I left the ballpark for the day but had assured us that the security company had been served and their employee had been fired.
That, however, didn’t make me happy. As far as I could tell, the ransom hadn’t been lifted despite multiple attempts to call the asshole. Leaving it in legal’s hands didn’t feel like we were doing enough. The longer it stretched out, the more preoccupied I became with the growing potential of Holly getting hurt. Or equally as gutting: losing her.
“Hey.” This time, fingers tickled across my ribcage.
I hummed and scrubbed a hand over my face. “I’m sorry, babe. I’m actually fucking beat.”
She appeared above me again. “It’s okay. C’mere.”
With her hugging my head and all but suffocating me between her breasts, I relaxed into her bear hug and wrapped my arms around her torso. Like pure fucking heaven. The precise place I didn’t want to leave.
“Hols?” I started.
“Yeah?” Her voice came filled with trepidation that had me re-locking down my worries.
“Nothin’, Mama.” Just loving you wrapped around me.
A kiss landed on the top of my head, thus sealing my fate. While only knowing her for a short time, Holly grounded me. I felt seen with her. Exposed, yet infinitely okay.
I already knew I’d go to the end of the Earth to protect her. I just didn’t realize how soon I’d have to make true on that vow.
